


If Fate Allows

by ipdeokfairy



Series: If Fate Allows [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Pining, forever incomplete im sorr, jihoon is the model, probably add more tags as i go i have no idea what im doing ty, seungcheol is the photographer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 22:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9850382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ipdeokfairy/pseuds/ipdeokfairy
Summary: “Just like that! Now just relax your expression a little, perfect!”Seungcheol snapped a few pictures, the bright flash popping off consecutively before he stopped to check his work. Pretty good. This adorable amateur model, Lee Jihoon, had a lot of potential in the modeling community from what he could see. He had an endearing face and a soft, lithe build that would draw viewers in. It was already having its effect on Seungcheol himself.





	1. Garden Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jihoon is really endearing. the end.

 

“Just like that! Now just relax your expression a little, perfect!” 

Seungcheol snapped a few pictures, the bright flash popping off consecutively before he stopped to check his work.  _ Pretty good.  _ This adorable amateur model, Lee Jihoon, had a lot of potential in the modeling community from what he could see. He had an endearing face and a soft, lithe build that would draw viewers in. It was already having its effect on Seungcheol himself. 

“Sorry that I’m so tense,” Jihoon spoke up from the wooden stool he was perched on top of, an elaborate arrangement of spring flowers covering nearly every surface around him. The model looked like a garden fairy amidst it all and Seungcheol had to prevent himself from getting caught staring for  _ too _ long.Though, being the photographer in itself had already graciously saved his ass a multitude of times in the past hour.

“No, you’re fine Jihoon,” offering a reassuring smile, he made his way toward the set up and moved some of the flower bundles around; “It’s normal to be kind of tense for your first few photoshoots, you’ll loosen up in no time!” The encouraging words already had a calming effect on Jihoon who found himself smiling a little as he rolled his shoulders back a little. And god did Seungcheol wish he was behind the camera in that blessed moment instead of nearly tripping over a bouquet of daisies like a fucking fool. 

“Whoa, you alright?” Jihoon shifted on the stool and looked over his shoulder with worry. Seungcheol rapidly nodded his head and scrambled back to his camera, giving the set up a once over before pressing his eye against the viewfinder. From there, he saw the model adjust his pose and expression eyes widening a little to catch more light. He wanted to stab himself in the foot. Jihoon was  _ so fucking cute _ . The outfit definitely did little to calm his racing heart. Perched on top of soft chestnut brown waves, there was a simple flower crown. Its long ribbon was draped over the right of a fluffy silk shirt, and the shirt itself was tucked into the hem of black suspender shorts. A pair of white over-the-knee socks hugged at Jihoon’s lower thighs, effectively bringing a tear to Seungcheol’s eyes.  Quickly regaining his composure, he begins to direct the other once again.

“Try elongating your neck a little more. Good good! Always maintain a calculated posture.” Even though Jihoon seemed to be the embodiment of nervousness from the get-go, the most recent photos were already a huge improvement from the first few that were taken. Jihoon was a fast learner, and with the right amount of guidance and instruction, he could really become a highly sought after model. 

And God,  _ he was so pretty.  _ It was almost infuriating. Sure, Seungcheol has taken photos of some indescribably attractive people before: male and female alike. But it was like Jihoon went and insulted the mothers of every single butterfly in his stomach and started up a violent storm in there. Talk about uncalled for! His hair looked incredibly soft and fluffy and his skin practically glowed. He had a seriously adorable cat-like smile and squishy looking cheeks that could probably reduce Seungcheol to tears. 

And that was not an exaggeration.

There was a part of Seungcheol that just wanted to go up and pinch Jihoon’s rosy cheeks until he was content, and cuddle the hell out of him while he was at it. Maybe they could get ice cream afterwards and he would have the pleasure of seeing the little model scrunch up his face from a sudden brainfreeze. And maybe he should stop his brain from conjuring up more impractical fantasies. Good idea, Seungcheol.

The rest of the photoshoot went by smoothly, and Seungcheol filled up an SD card or two while they were at it. You really couldn’t blame him, after all, he didn’t know when he would photograph Jihoon again. Though, he sure hoped it would be sometime in the near future. 

Gingerly, the garden fairy scooched off of the stool and finally got to use his legs after three hours of laborious posing. Jihoon’s delicate hands quickly did away with the wrinkles on his shorts, a small huff leaving his tinted lips as he did so. He proceeds to thank all of the staff around them, bowing to each in respect, “Thank you for taking care of me.” Stopping at Seungcheol, he offers a deep bow in gratitude before standing up straight. “And thank you especially for being so easy to work with and helping me out with tips and such...I hope I can improve exponentially and be easier to work with in future projects, maybe,” his cheeks began to flush with soft pink, “Thank you, it was a pleasure working with you, Seungcheol!”  

“Ah, the pleasure was all mine! I hope we get to work on things together in the future as well, cutie,”  he reached out and gave Jihoon’s hair a quick ruffle while flashing a bright smile, “See you around!”

“See you around, Seungcheol.” An eager nod was given before the boy was whisked away to his next schedule in a blur by the name of Seungkwan. Meanwhile, the photographer’s heart was going haywire.  _ Jihoon’s hair was so soft.   _ If he had the time to scream into a pillow like a fucking child he would, but the next appointment was quickly catching up to him. He rushed off to grab his other SD cards, almost embarrassed of how many pictures he had taken of Jihoon, unknowing of the fact he wouldn’t get to see the man again for quite some time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooaoo hello this is my first fic ever tysm for reading this first chapter! i hope you enjoyed it, and i am currently writing the other chapters for it! any helpful feedback and kudos are highly appreciated, i’d love to hear what you guys think! thank u for your time! :,^)


	2. Billboard Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who's that

Jihoon’s popularity skyrocketed.

In the span of three years, he definitely grew into the highly sought after model Seungcheol believed he would become. From doing commercial modeling for luxury brands like Gucci and Prada, to doing runway work, the man now had a compilation of reputable lines on his resume, along with a new alias: Woozi. His face could be seen on billboards all over the city. Having becoming quite an icon for his charming femininity, he easily caught the eyes of many.

This made it especially hard for Seungcheol. As much as he tried to push Jihoon from his mind, he couldn't help that everywhere he looked, Jihoon’s face was there to mock him. And the boy had definitely changed over time. There were less and less flower boy concepts and more and more mature ones. It wasn’t that Jihoon didn’t fit the mature ones; no, no, he looked quite stunning in fact. Seungcheol just missed the certain youthful glow that Jihoon seemed to radiate when modeling more delicate and sweet concepts. The memory of Jihoon’s cheeks heating up after implying he wished to do more projects with Seungcheol in the future was enough to make his heart pang. Such a shame that he only got to capture the other’s enrapturing beauty once.

It was odd. He wasn’t one to get caught up over someone for more than a year. Maybe it was the fact Jihoon’s face and form was everywhere that made him so hard to forget. Jihoon was hard to forget, period. Seungcheol still held onto the plethora of pictures he took of the man three years ago. As lucky as he felt to have captured the model in the most amateur moments in his career, he thought it to be a shame that the rest of the world was unknowing to the underlying mischief in those pretty eyes. And then again, maybe that was something he’d like to keep for himself. 

If he had the chance, Seungcheol would most definitely want to shoot something cute yet enticing with Jihoon. That chance was also a very slim one considering Jihoon was probably booked to the brim with more renowned photographers in the industry. He himself was more known as a ‘expose unnoticed talent to the big names’ photographer, which he sometimes resents seeing as how he never got to see the same models twice because of it: Jihoon being one of them. 

A job was a job though, and this job in particular paid quite well, so he kept at it. 

He had the opportunity to move to a bigger shared studio space in those three years which was quite nice. There were a handful of amazing photographers he got to meet because of it; people like Jungkook and Mingyu, who could be quite a handful when out drinking, opened his eyes to new approaches to fashion photography and photography in general. They were extremely talented, and he was glad to be in their company.

Seungcheol was running a little late today, bustling through the doors of the studio to go set up. He scurried along, only having two minutes to spare before the model was to appear, and quickly attached his camera to the tripod. Deft fingertips adjusted the aperture and shutter speed. Muscle memory was a real life-saver. 

The model arrived soon after, bowing his head in greeting, “Hello, my name is Hong Jisoo, it’s a pleasure to work with you.”

“My pleasure, Jisoo,” Seungcheol greeted the other curtly, smiling a bit to set a friendly atmosphere. This shoot’s concept: innocence with a touch of maturity. 

Gentle.

Jisoo was dressed in a warm cream sweater with orange blush dusted onto his high cheekbones. There was a pair of circle frames perched on the tip of his dainty nose, catering to the more mature side of the concept. The boy fit into the word ‘gentle’ every which way. From the way he carried himself, to the way he spoke, it all kind of made Seungcheol feel like his movements were too crass. Jisoo exuded elegance.

“Okay, let’s take a few shots where you’re gazing toward but not directly at the camera,” the photographer motioned to the area to the upper right of his head before leaning in to look through the viewfinder, “Beautiful, that’s definitely your angle.” The other’s lips quirked into a cat-like smile reminiscent of another’s, taking a subtle stab at Seungcheol’s heart. Brushing the feeling away, he continued to take photos while directing Jisoo to tilt his head a certain way or adjust his pose. 

Jisoo had a very photogenic face and a modelesque frame to him. Some of his poses came off a little awkward, but there was always room for improvement. “Don’t push on the poses too much for now, Jisoo, just do what you think would look nice and flatter your build.” The brunet nodded in reply and visibly relaxed before elongating his body in a more natural manner. 

“That’s more like it.”

Before they knew it, the photoshoot was over and the slender model stretched his arms above his head, feeling a little stiff from posing for so long. He moved to thank all the staff and thanked Seungcheol for a little longer than the others, “I really love your work, so it was an honor to be able to work with you. I really loved your photos of Woozi, they were really delicate.” The compliment brought a smile to his face.

“Thank you, that was one of my favorite photoshoots.”   

Jisoo slipped away with his manager soon after and left Seungcheol to his own devices. There was a fair amount of free time between now and his next appointment, so he figured taking a stroll around the studio wouldn’t hurt a bit. Half an hour to spare was quite a treat. Why not see what Mingyu and Jungkook were up to? It took a bit to find Mingyu, which was sarcasm considering the guy was a fucking tree, and it was really amusing to sit back and watch confused makeup artists go in for touch ups only to mistake Mingyu as the model. If he had a dollar for every time that happened, he’d have his own yacht by now. 

Currently, Mingyu was working with a quiet model that listened to instructions well. The man’s jet black hair was gelled back, simple clothes falling on his frame superbly. A leather jacket was switched in and the model looked even better if that was possible. His gaze was sharp as he looked into the camera, earning vocal praise from the man behind the camera. Mingyu was never afraid to speak his mind, whether the words that came out of his mouth made sense or not. Despite Mingyu’s occasional lack of eloquence, his photos were absolutely beautiful. He had a knack for capturing his model’s gaze in its rawest form that made for photos you just couldn’t look away from. 

He went to look for Jungkook next, who actually met him halfway, “Cheol! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Really? What for?” It was rare that the guy looked for him during job hours, and with such enthusiasm at that. He was usually quiet on the job, tending to each model with a calculating eye.

“You’re actually gonna cream your pants dude, follow me, you’ve gotta see my client,” and Seungcheol had no say in following if Jungkook’s iron grip on his wrist was any indicator of that. He was dragged through the crowd of makeup artists, set designers, wardrobe managers, and the like before he finally stopped in front of Jungkook’s studio area.

An all too familiar form was lounging against a red velvet armchair, armfuls of chiffon curtains were draped along the set. The first thing he noticed was a pair of black thigh-high stockings against pale thighs. He broke into a nervous sweat, making sudden eye contact between his and Jihoon’s lazy kohl-lined ones. Eyes he’s only seen through billboards for three years.

Boy, did he cream his pants or what.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohoho what a cliffhanger! i was too excited to wait and post this chapter so here it is! i hope it doesn't feel too rushed. chapter 3 is going to be so fun to write im so excited hahaha. thanks for reading this chapter, hope you enjoyed the intoduction of some more characters! any helpful feedback or kudos is appreciated!  
> and a quick ty to my super cool beta and motivator, sam! <3


	3. Rose Chiffon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jihoon looks very cream-your-pants worthy

His throat went completely dry.

 

Fuck.

 

_ Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. _

 

If Seungcheol could light himself on fire right now, he would most definitely light himself on fire right now. 

Jihoon was lying on the red velvet armchair, in all of his nonchalant beauty and grace, looking like the embodiment of seduction (and everything in the world that was set on ruining Seungcheol’s sanity.) He felt like crying. Three years had passed since he’d seen the man, and now he gets to see him like this? Well, what exactly was fate trying to tell him? Though, perhaps he just wasn’t in the position to question fate, and maybe he was more in the position to drop to his knees and thank the lord Jesus Christ for gracing his eyes with such a visual. Jihoon was stunning. Absolutely stunning. 

The heart-shaped lace headpiece was lain with careful consideration against softly curled pink hair, matching the deep red velvet choker around his slender neck. His pale shoulders were exposed to the harsh AC of the photo studio, torso donned with a sleeveless satin shirt, a big pretty bow on the front. Lace cuffs hugged his delicate wrists as he posed his hands around him, barely-there black shorts giving Seungcheol a heart-throbbing view of Jihoon’s supple thighs. And the cherry on top was those black thigh highs that promptly gave Seungcheol some worrisome heart palpitations. 

Saying he was whipped was the understatement of the year. 

Thirty minutes of break went from “a lot of free time” to “not enough free time” in the matter of .005 seconds, and on top of that he was afraid he wouldn’t catch Jihoon afterwards to talk. This chance was a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence. He’d be damned if he let this opportunity slip through his fingers. “If you’d just chill out for a second, you’d hear me tell you his shoot ends right after your upcoming one.” Jungkook’s amused voice pulled him out of whatever daze he was stuck in, letting him release a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

“Oh, thank God.” The other patted him on the back, whispering a  _ you’re welcome _ in Seungcheol’s ear before heading towards his camera. Luckily for him, he doesn’t think Jihoon noticed him breaking into sweat amongst the crowd of people. He’d want to die if Jihoon saw him when he was such a mess.

Nevertheless, Jungkook began the shoot with Jihoon, soft music pumping out of the speakers above to set the mood. A comfortable atmosphere threw itself over the set the moment the flashes began to pop off, distancing all others not engaged in it. Seungcheol took this time to catch his breath, still unable to tear his eyes off of Jihoon’s form presented in such a manner. 

He was as beautiful as he remembered. His frame was similar, but there was much more confidence that thrummed through the model’s body. His cheeks had thinned out a little and allowed the man’s jawline to show its full potential. Seeing such a subtle maturity in the way Jihoon carried himself nowadays made a part of Seungcheol proud, all the while poking and prodding at something in his chest that made him nauseous. 

There wasn’t any time to dwell on it now, his phone alarm going off to warn him of an upcoming shoot. He quickly turned it off and started making his way to his studio space, leaving Jungkook to his own devices.

Envy pulsed through his veins as he shuffled through the crowd. He was terribly jealous. If only he was the one behind the camera lens, admiring Jihoon’s physique for as long as he needed to, as long as he wanted to... He’d have to choke out Jungkook later.

Overall, he was incredibly starstruck  ~~_ and smitten  _ ~~ over Jihoon, and the fact that he was here in Jungkook’s studio knocked the breath out of him. It was a surreal experience to just see Jihoon in the flesh after so long. But for now, his job called for a cool and calm Seungcheol, so he worked to regain his composure by the time he arrived at his set. Thankfully, he was quite successful, feeling more at ease after giving his studio space a once over.

Today, it was decorated with soft blankets, assorted pillows, and stuffed animals. Soft blue and purple lights kissed every surface of the set, and a star projector made it all the more nostalgic. With just one glance, he immediately felt at peace. “Hello! I will be your model today!” Seungcheol turned towards the bright voice. “My name is Chan, nice to meet you!” 

“Nice to meet you too!” The boy was filled to the brim with excited energy and was a breath of fresh air. His cheeks were dusted with glitter, a few big sparkles attached here and there for the sake of variety. It puzzled Seungcheol to how it was all staying on, props to the makeup team for that. “Now, let’s get started, shall we?”

 

* * *

 

 

Having the photo shoot with Chan was a refreshing experience, and the young model was ever so eager to give everything his all. All of his worries ebbed away, thanks to Chan’s positive energy. Time flew by, and before he knew it, the shoot was over. The young model disentangled himself from the pile of blankets on the floor before rushing up to his side and asking, “How was I? Were the photos good? Can I see some of them?” Seungcheol barked out a laugh at the boy’s enthusiasm.

“Yes, of course you can! You’re the model after all.” He unclipped his camera from the tripod, letting it rest comfortably in his palm as he showed Chan some of his favorite shots.

“Oh my gosh! You make me look so pretty!” 

“That’s half you being naturally photogenic and half of me capturing you in your best angles,” he smiled. 

“You’re amazing, Seungcheol! Thanks for being so fun to shoot with!”

“No problem, kid. See you around!” And with another energetic goodbye, Chan was whisked away into the crowd. Seungcheol sighed happily and absentmindedly placed his camera into Jeonghan’s waiting hand: the one who transferred his pictures off the SD card onto his laptop. 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Seungcheol?”

“Oh, shit,” and without another word, said photographer rushed to Jungkook’s studio space like his life depended on it. He made it just in time, seeing Jihoon give Jungkook a curt bow and the standard words of thanks. His heart was hammering in his chest at the sight of Jihoon standing up at his full height: an endearing five foot five. Jungkook gave him a quick side glance, sweetly thanking the pink-haired model for being such a lovely model before bidding him farewell. Jihoon turned to leave and Jungkook gave Seungcheol a sharp elbow in the side. Oh yeah, he was supposed to do something. He’d rather die than give up this fate-given opportunity.

He wiped the sweat off his palms onto his khakis, oh my god he was wearing fucking khakis, and made his way towards the man he pined over for three years, “Hey, Jihoon!” 

The one being addressed turned his head, looking Seungcheol in the eyes, “Yes?” The world slowed down to a snail-pace, even if the older’s heart was running a marathon in his chest. Jihoon was even more beautiful up close, and his mind blanked out. 

A familiar cough in the background broke him out of his frozen stupor, and he scrambled for words to say, picking the first thing that came to his mind.

“You’re so beautiful.” 

Fuckfuckfuck, of all the things he could’ve said, did he really have to say that? He probably sounded like a creep and embarrassed himself in the matter of three words. Jungkook snickered somewhere in the background.  _ Fuck you, Jeon Jungkook. _

A small smile appeared on Jihoon’s face in response, “Thank you,” and Seungcheol just  _ melted.  _ Ok, he really did have to say that. If it’s going to make Jihoon smile like _ that _ he’d be more than happy to say the words until he exhausted them. 

“Uh, d-do you remember the project you did with me? Maybe not, hahaha, it  _ was _ three years ago after all,” a hand rubbed at the back of his pale neck, eyes unable to meet Jihoon’s in the fear he would further embarrass himself.

“Ah, yes I do,” Seungcheol’s eyes immediately shot up in surprise, “it was when my career was just kickstarting. I must admit, I owe a lot of it to you. Your photos are really lovely, and they got me a lot of attention.” Cheol flushed at the words, his heart beaming with an indescribable pride. There was a lot of emotions rushing through his body, and the fact that Jihoon remembered him was enough to make him the happiest man alive. 

“Oh! Thank you, but it wouldn’t have been possible without you as the model to begin with. You’re really stunning,” he let out a nervous laugh, fiddling with his thumbs to expend his anxiety. Jihoon’s smile grew, as did the shine in his eyes.

“Thank you so much, we should really do another project sometime. I’ll have my manager give you my card?” 

Seungcheol’s heart actually leaped from the confines of his chest, gaping at the younger for a few seconds before closing up his mouth, “Oh! Oh, yea! That would be really great!” Speak of the devil, Seungkwan showed up soon after, looking quite frazzled.

“Woozi, you have more schedules after this, we should hurry!” Seungcheol deflated a little at the notion of Jihoon leaving.

“Alright, can you give Seungcheol my card? He’s that photographer from three years ago. We want to do another project together.” The manager looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze as he dug in his coat pocket for a business card. 

“Here you go, Mr. Choi.” Seungkwan handed him the card and bid him a farewell, ushering Jihoon along to the next studio. There Seungcheol stood, holding onto that business card like it was what rooted him down to the very earth he stood on. Then it hit him, the overwhelming punch of excitement and the extreme urge to just _ yell. _

A muscular arm slinging onto his shoulder caused him to look up, meeting Jungkook’s smug expression, “Atta boy, Cheollie. Now don’t let that opportunity go to waste.” He gave the card a quick tap before releasing his friend from his hold, waltzing off to prepare for his next client. Seungcheol remained in his place, unable to took away from the matte finish that seemed to taunt him. 

He got Jihoon’s card. He got the card. There. Right there. In his hands. Fuck.

_ Fuck! _

Seungcheol went home that night feeling like he was on top of the world, burying his face into his pillow to release the loudest yell he had the capacity for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaah, i was so excited to finally write this chapter. it was this whole scenario that made me want to start this fic in the first place, so i really hope you enjoyed reading it. next chapter will be in jihoons pov! thank you for reading, and as always, any helpful feedback and kudos is appreciated!


	4. Peach Fae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jihoon's pov!

“Okay so, I managed to schedule you a shoot with Seungcheol next week,” Seungkwan pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose and slipped his smartphone into his coat pocket, taking a glance over at Jihoon. The man was laying on his white couch, scrolling through his Instagram feed.

“Did his manager say anything about the concept?” Jihoon asked without looking away from his phone.

“Something to do with fairies, I believe? I didn’t get too many details, but it will be something fitting for you.” Jihoon hummed, rolling onto his side before sitting up straight.

“I trust him to make me look good.”

“It’s rare for you to trust anyone at all, Jihoon.”

“I know.” One had to be careful when choosing who to trust in the industry. Not everyone was dangerous, but there were definitely a few bad apples he had to deal with so far. A handful of people tried to take advantage of him for their own personal interests and left a bad taste in his mouth. He was lucky to have Seungkwan help keep a watchful eye and do background checks on anyone he worked with.

“I don’t think Seungcheol has ever done anything shady though,” Jihoon scratched the tip of his nose before getting up to join Seungkwan in the kitchen, opening the fridge to grab a bottle of fruit juice.

“From what I’ve dug up, I can’t say that he’s done anything that would be considered alarming. Just be careful. I can tell he shows great interest in you.” Jihoon’s cheeks flushed, though he knew his manager was referring to general business practices.

“Yeah, I swear his eyes were about to pop out of his head when I first saw him near the set today.” The statement earned him a snort from Seungkwan’s direction.

“Just don’t get too involved, okay?” Knowing the younger was just looking out for him, he nodded and sat back down with his juice.

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

 

* * *

 

Next week came in the blink of an eye, time zipping by and filled to the brim with photo shoots. He found himself approaching the sleek studio where he had his shoot Jeon Jungkook a week before. From the van, he was ushered inside and to the makeup studio to get picture ready.

“My, your skin is really pretty. Lucky me to get to work with it. huh,” the man smiled at him, “My name is Wen Junhui, and I’ll be transforming you into a pretty peach fairy today, Woozi!” The guy seemed friendly enough and he could tell Junhui definitely knew what he was doing from how he carried himself.

A woman by the name of Irene worked with parting his newly dyed peach hair, putting soft waves into it with a small hair straightener. It was a blessing to have someone be so gentle with him.

In general, he really didn’t mind this part of the day. Closing his eyes, he sat back and relaxed while the makeup artists worked their magic. The cool and gentle touches were reassuring in a subtle way, and the feeling of being all dolled up was a pleasant one. His hair was soft and wavy with a few glittery highlights worked in by the end of it. The main points of his makeup included a small pair of latex elf ears, peach blush, and soft pink lips.

He really did look like a fairy.

“Well, aren’t you just the most endearing little thing. Seungcheol is going to be so pleased.” Jun sounded happy with himself and Irene hummed in agreement. “I wish I could stare at your pretty face longer, but Soonyoung is expecting you in the wardrobe department.” Jihoon moved to get up.

“Thank you for your hard work,” and with a bow, Seungkwan came to whisk him away to get him fully dressed up.

The wardrobe manager, Soonyoung if he remembered correctly, looked him over as he adjusted his circle frames, “Okay so, we’ll have you change into the shorts first and then I’ll help you get everything else on.” Jihoon nodded and took the puffy white shorts from the other, going into changing room. He promptly undressed and slipped the pants on, looking around for the shirt. Shit, maybe Soonyoung forgot to hand him one. Popping his head out from behind the curtain, he looked left and right for the male. “Is there something wrong, Woozi?”

“Uh, I think you forgot to give me a shirt?” Soonyoung chuckled.

“You won’t be wearing one.” Jihoon’s cheeks colored under the peach blush.

“Oh.”

“But don’t worry, you’ll have this really stunning cloak to wear!” Soonyoung flashed him a hamster grin, holding up said object. It was sheen and translucent with a few delicate flowers sewn into the fabric: very fitting for the fairy concept. He nodded and returned to the confines of the changing booth to take a deep breath. Shit, Seungkwan didn’t tell him he’d be _this_ exposed. It wasn’t like he had a bad figure or anything, but he hadn’t done something so _open_ before. All he could do was trust the intuition of Seungcheol’s staff. Afterall, it was their job to produce the perfect look to match any concept Seungcheol wanted to execute. He pulled back the curtain, shivering a little under Soonyoung’s expectant gaze. As if the other could read his mind, he reassured the model, “Don’t worry about the cold, we’ll have some heating fans on set so you don’t freeze your nips off!” Jihoon subconsciously brought his hands up to cover his chest. Soonyoung threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh, “Just come on over here so I can get you fully dressed up.”

Soonyoung draped the cloak over Jihoon’s half-bare form and secured it with a flower brooch. With a surprising amount of concentration, he moved on to place small flower ornaments in Jihoon’s hair and clipped in accessories that had small crystals attached. A pretty necklace was hooked on around his neck, which successfully continued the crystal flower motif. “Perfect.” The wardrobe manager looked satisfied with his work, adjusting the cloak until he felt Jihoon was fit to head out to the set. “And with five minutes to spare, you’re all ready! You’re going to absolutely adore the set, Seungcheol really outdid himself this time around. He must _really_ like you.” Part of the model was giddy with excitement to see what the set looked like. The other part was extremely bashful that Seungcheol might “ _really_ like” him.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Soonyoung helped him find the way to the correct set while making small talk with Seungkwan. When they arrived, Jihoon’s breath was quickly stolen away, feeling as if he stepped into a fairy tale world. He was awestruck at the obvious efforts put into making the environment.

The floor was covered with lush green grass and an assortment of pond plants, bushels of pretty flowers here and there as a finishing touch. Crystal light fixtures dangled from the ceiling, and a soft peach light danced along the water of an installed pond, bouncing off the few lotus flowers along the surface. Behind the pond, there was a smooth grassy rock that was to serve as his wooden stool this time around. Being absolutely entranced by the set, he failed to notice Seungcheol approach him, “It’s not perfect until you’re in it.” The ornaments in his hair clinked together when he turned to look at the photographer. Man, he was still as much of eye candy as he was three years ago.  

“This is set is stunning regardless of whether or not you think I’m what completes it.” Luckily for him, Seungcheol was an open book and the surprise was apparent on his face.

“Ah, thanks then, I kinda went over budget with this project actually,” he trailed off before continuing, “so thanks for thinking so!”

“You’re very welcome.” He could feel Seungcheol’s soft gaze on him, shifting his weight from right to left. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

“Ah, yes!”

“And I’m assuming I should go for a delicate approach for the photos?”

“Most definitely.” Jihoon smiled a little and carefully headed towards the center to prop himself up on the rock, which was surprisingly comfortable. He was careful to not sit on the cloak, making sure that it fell around him gently. From what he could see, Seungcheol was deeply invested in watching him get acquainted with the environment, and it only urged him to look at pretty as possible while the other’s eyes were on him. It took a bit for Seungcheol to snap out of the daze he was in and head towards his camera, getting in position to begin the shoot. A soft “God he’s beautiful” was heard from behind the camera and Jihoon had the decency to flush at the words.

The two were soon immersed in their own little world, ambient music streaming out of the speakers to accompany the sound sound of the flash popping off every now and then. Jihoon flirted with the camera more than he usually did, throwing Seungcheol mischievous smiles one moment and soft ones the next. He admired the look on the photographer’s face when he was in a deep trance, capturing lovely compositions from behind the camera, looking up to test out another angle with his eyes in between shots. The way his plush lips pursed together in focus and the way his eyebrows knitted together in concentration was oddly attractive. It was just weird being the subject of it all. For the first time in awhile, he felt squirmy under a photographer’s gaze. The cause was unclear; was it the fact he only had a translucent cape separating Seungcheol’s eyes from his bare chest? Or was it the fact Seungcheol was the one photographing him in itself?

A rush of old thoughts pushed their way into Jihoon’s mind, feelings he had felt the first time he worked with the other. _Was this the best angle to be at? Was his expression too empty? Did he look pretty enough?_ He pushed the thoughts away and loosened his jaw, looking up through his bangs and directly into the camera lens. The sharp intake of breath was his reward, Seungcheol breathing out a “lovely” in response. He preened under the quiet praise and tried out a slew of other poses and expressions, getting more and more encouraging words from the other.

And like that, the two smoothly weaved through two hours of time, taking the last few shots before calling the shoot to an end. Jihoon thanked the staff, especially those who made sure the heating fans were directly hitting him throughout, and walked up to shake Seungcheol’s hand. “Thank you for having me, it was a pleasure to work with you again.” The photographer beamed down at him.

“Took the words right out of my mouth. It was great to see you again!” Jihoon nodded in response and smiled up at the other, uttering out a quick goodbye before Seungcheol caught his attention again.

“Ah, uh, would you..maybe like to go out for ice cream sometime? It’s getting really warm and stuff outside. I thought it might be a good treat..But, I understand if you’re too busy! Considering your schedules are probably packed full, I understand if there’s no time to..”

“I’d love to.” Seungkwan straightened up to his left.

“Really? Oh my god, uh, that’s great! When, I mean, what time is good for you?”

“Uh, I need to get going so, we can just exchange numbers and we’ll talk about it from there?” His heart was hammering in his chest. Damn, Jihoon, what the hell are you doing?

“Oh! Yeah, let me get my phone out.” He watched Seungcheol scramble for his phone out of the corner of his eye, turning to get his phone from Seungkwan who gave him _The Look_ before handing it over. Ignoring Seungkwan for now, he opened up his contacts and exchanged phones with Seungcheol. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what name to put down for the contact and ended up settling with a simple ‘jihoon’. After entering his number, he was courteous enough to fill in the contact photo, snapping a quick selfie for the other. Hitting save, he handed the phone to its owner and got his own back, happy to see that he got a selfie in return.

“Thanks, talk to you later then?” He got an excited nod in agreement, taking that as his cue to turn and leave with Seungkwan at his side.

_3...2...1...and_ , “Well, well, well, what an interesting development we have here, Jihoon.” Count on Seungkwan to comment on the situation the moment they were a good distance away.

“Shut up.”

He would be careful, but he just couldn’t say no to Seungcheol when he looked so flustered and unsure about what he had asked. A little ice cream date wouldn’t hurt anyone.

 

* * *

 

 

_Ba-ding!_ Jihoon was getting ready for bed, grabbing his phone before slipping under the covers. He turned on his phone, seeing that he received a text from Seungcheol.

 

**[10:42PM 04/10/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Hello! Sorry it took me so long to message you! So when is a good day for you to go out for ice cream with me?_

 

Oh my god, Seungcheol was so cute.

 

**[10:43PM 04/10/17] jihoon :** is this saturday around noon good?

 

**[10:43PM 04/10/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Yes! That’s perfect actually hahaha I know just the place to take you! I’ll send the address to you tomorrow. Is meeting up there okay with you?_

**[10:45PM 04/10/17] jihoon :** _yea thats fine with me_

 

**[10:45PM 04/10/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Okay great! I’m excited! Goodnight for now though Jihoon I hope I didn’t keep you from your beauty sleep TT_

 

**[10:47PM 04/10/17] jihoon :** _dont worry you didnt lol. goodnight seungcheol sleep well_

 

He debated putting a heart at the end but chose against it, already feeling oddly fuzzy from his tiny conversation with Seungcheol. Seeing his message was marked as ‘ _Read at 10:47’,_ he shut off his phone and plugged it in to charge. Having something to look forward to was rare for him, and he was glad Seungcheol was a part of that something.

He was excited to see where this would go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello! i just couldn't wait to post this chapter aah, it was definitely an experience to write the story from jihoon's pov this time around. i hope it was enjoyable to read! and thank you so much for 50 kudos and 400+ hits!! it makes me incredibly happy that so many people have read my story and enjoyed it enough to give me a kudos. <3 <3 :,^) tysm!!  
> as always, any helpful feedback or kudos is appreciated! thank you for reading!!
> 
> p.s. if u paid attention to the time stamps when jicheol was texting..seungcheol would totally be one of those people that replied to texts in .005 seconds


	5. Brain Freeze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> back to cheol's pov! fluffy fluffy

Seungcheol picked up his phone.

_Click._

**[No Messages]**

_Click._

Seungcheol set down his phone.

 

Click.

**[No Messages]**

Click.

 

Click.

**[No Messages]**

Cli-

“Seungcheol, for God’s sake, don’t make me come over there and confiscate your phone,” Jeonghan snapped at the photographer from across the office. _The guy was so far gone and they hadn’t even gone on their first date yet._

“Sorry,” Seungcheol offered a sheepish smile and returned to gazing down at his phone with a certain look on his face.

_So far gone._

Jeonghan sighed and continued with finalizing the schedule for the upcoming week,“It’s alright. It’s cute seeing you so eager for attention,” Jeonghan teased. A blush rushed up Seungcheol’s neck.

“I’m not eager! I just like talking to him! And we haven’t talked since yesterday..”

“And therefore you’re eager for attention.”

“I’m not an attention seeker!”

“Sorry, let me rephrase that. You’re eager for attention from _Jihoon_.” The blush reached high on Seungcheol’s cheekbones at the words, and he pouted in defeat. He attempted to salvage his pride.

“Don’t you have work to be doing?”

“Don’t you?”

“Leave me aloneee!” Jeonghan cackled and continued with his work as the other suggested. Seungcheol would never be able to win against him. Not this lifetime, not any lifetime.

“Why don’t you just message him first? He doesn’t seem like the person to start conversations in the first place.”

The realization dawned upon him and he immediately snatched up his phone to send Jihoon a message. It took him several tries to word his message right, the blinking text cursor mocking him before he got the correct phrasing. Not too eager and not too detached.

 

**[1:06AM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Hi Jihoon! How is your day going so far?_

 

Satisfied with himself, he set his phone down and got to work with editing photos from his photoshoot with Jihoon. His hands itched to check his phone to see if the model had read his message but chose against it, Jeonghan’s taunting words ringing through his head.

An hour of staring at the computer screen passed without a single notification and Seungcheol began to gnaw nervously at his bottom lip. Maybe he didn’t word his message right? Maybe Jihoon left him on read or something? Maybe Jihoon just didn’t want to talk to him at all? He almost whimpered like the sad puppy he was, his leg bouncing under the desk. Jeonghan’s voice rang out in the midst of Seungcheol’s insecurity, rubbing his forehead at how jittery the other was.

“Just to let you know, Jihoon probably has the bulk of his schedules at this time. Be patient for once and focus on your work, _please._ ” Forcing his leg to stop jumping up and down, Seungcheol grumbled and knocked some sense into himself, attempting to funnel all of his focus into adjusting the hues of the photo before him. Of course it was futile, but he performed better for the next few hours thanks to Jeonghan’s reassurance.

 

* * *

 

_Ba-ding!_

Seungcheol’s slouched posture immediately straightened up at the sound and scrambled for his smartphone, turning it on faster than he had ever before.

**[1 Message from jihoon]**

Eagerly, he unlocked his phone and checked the message.

 

**[5:30PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _hey! sorry for the late reply, i had a packed schedule today._

 

**[5:31PM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Ah! It’s no problem. I was editing your photos in the meantime!_

 

**[5:33PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _good to hear. im excited to see them_

 

**[5:33PM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _I’m excited to show you! I think they came out really nice and I’m really satisfied with this photoshoot_

 

**[5:35PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _im glad that i was able to help create something satisfactory. c:_

 

**[5:35PM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Thanks again for being my model, Jihoon!_

 

**[5:36PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _my pleasure_

 

**[5:36PM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Also, I’m super excited for our date tomorrow! The place I linked you yesterday is my favorite ice cream shop in town_

 

**`** **[5:37PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _im excited as well,  and i trust that the ice cream will be good if its your favorite_

 

**[5:37PM 04/12/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Absolutely! See you tomorrow at 12 then!_

 

**[5:39PM 04/12/17] jihoon :** _see you there!_

 

 

* * *

 

Seungcheol doesn’t know if he’s ever been this nervous for a date. He’s gone on his fair share, with men and women alike, but these butterflies were the most violent ones yet. Even more violent than when he first met Jihoon. His palms were feeling clammy and he quickly wiped them on his black skinny jeans as he looked in the mirror. He made sure that his hair was styled perfectly and that he wore clothes that complimented his build. Admittedly, he didn’t do a bad job with it, quietly thanking Soonyoung for the styling tips in the back of his mind.

His heart was racing as he glanced down at his watch: 11:45AM. He had around 15 minutes to walk to the ice cream parlour he recommended. Grabbing his keys and phone, Seungcheol headed out of his apartment and down to the sidewalk to meet up with Jihoon.

It was late April and the weather was nothing short from comfortable. The sky was a familiar shade of blue and there was enough wind to counteract the sun’s heat. A perfect day for a date. The small ice cream shop was in sight after ten minutes of walking and Seungcheol hurried across the crosswalk to get inside.

The shop itself, Sevencream, was quite small, but it was quaint and emitted a comfortable atmosphere. The color palette consisted of rose quartz and serenity, the floors white with speckles of glitter. It was sleek and modern, the latest pop songs playing quietly from the speakers. Seungcheol remembered back to when the business was first built and their lack of customers. There was a point where the place almost shut down, but they invested in remodeling which brought them back into business. An odd sense of pride filled his chest whenever he passed by, seeing that their popularity was steadily growing. A part of him knew they would be even more successful in the future, and it made his heart warm to think about.

Speaking of his heart, it threatened to punch its way out of Seungcheol’s chest cavity the moment he laid eyes on Jihoon sitting in the corner. It was weird to see the model not all dolled up, but Seungcheol preferred him dressed like this. He was seeing Jihoon before him, not Woozi.

The model was dressed casually in a grey, extra long-sleeved shirt, the word “Vetements” printed down the right sleeve. He had on slim black pants and a black shoes to match. It was a simple outfit, but the shirt made Jihoon look incredibly adorable, for the sleeves completely covered his hands as he scrolled through social media. Seungcheol almost didn’t want to interrupt the scene before him, but he pushed himself to approach the table and slid into the tall chair opposite to Jihoon’s. “Hey!” Jihoon looked up from his phone and shut it off, brushing his fringe out of his eyes.

“Oh hey, you’re here. Good to see you!” Seungcheol smiled brightly at Jihoon’s words.

“I’m doing great, and I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Should we order?” The shorter nodded and slid out of the chair to head towards the counter alongside his date. A man with a bright expression greeted them from behind the ice cream bar.

“Hello! Welcome to Sevencream, the name’s Seokmin! What would you two like today?” Seungcheol beckoned for Jihoon to order first.

“I’ll have cotton candy.” Of course he would.

“Any toppings?”

“No, thank you.”

“What size?”

“I’ll have a medium cup.”

“Alright, one medium cotton candy with no toppings! Hansol will ring you up, sir!”

“Uh, can we be put on the same ticket?,” Seungcheol looked to Hansol at the register who nodded before replying.

“Yes sir, that’s fine.”

“Seungcheol, you don’t have to pay for me, really,” the peach-haired boy protested from the right before turning to look at the cashier, “Separate tickets are fine.” Hansol nodded again, slower this time, with a cautious look in his eyes. Seungcheol adamantly pushed back.

“No, no, I was the one that asked if you wanted to go out for ice cream, so it’s only fair that I treat you to some! Hansol, put us both on one ticket. I’ll pay.” The poor boy was breaking a sweat, looking over at Seokmin as a call for help.

“How about we get both of your orders ready before deciding payment,” Seokmin offered with hopeful eyes. Jihoon and Seungcheol begrudgingly agreed to the owner’s suggestion.

“Alright, what would you like, sir?”

“I’ll have vanilla!”

“Any toppings?”

“Gummy bears, please.”

“Size?”

“A medium for me as well.”

“Okay, a medium vanilla with gummy bears coming right up!” Seokmin scooped and topped both of their ice creams, sliding the small bowls to the area next to the cash register. “So, who will be paying?” Seungcheol and Jihoon both replied with a simultaneous “I will” and the taller had no choice but to pull out his big guns. He quickly turned to Jihoon, his plump bottom lip jutting out as he produced the biggest puppy eyes he could muster, his hands clasping together in front of his chest.

“Pwease let me pay for our ice cweam, Jihoonie.” He was near tears, begging Jihoon with what he knew was the most irresistible expression he could make. The resolve in the model’s eyes slowly crumbled away after seeing a grown man do aegyo for the sake of paying off an ice cream bill.

Remarkable.

With a scowl, Jihoon relented, “Fine, fine, go ahead.” Seungcheol looked more than happy to hand Hansol his credit card and pay for the ice cream which was currently on the verge of melting after all that time.

“Enjoy!”

With their ice cream, the two returned to their table, each with a spoon and napkin in their hand, and settled down. Seungcheol immediately began conversation with the other after eating a spoonful.

“So, how was your week?”

“It was alright, same old same old.” Seungcheol nodded in understanding, all too familiar with moving through the repeated motions of life.

“Yeah, I totally get it. I guess that's why I was really excited to do this with you! It’s a nice change from staying at home all Saturday.”

“I agree, and how did your week go?”

“It went well, after all, I did get to do a photoshoot with my favorite model.” Seungcheol wiggled his eyebrows in a cheesy manner as he ate another spoonful of ice cream, but Jihoon didn’t seem to get it and sat up a little straighter, looking a little disheartened.

“And who might that be?” Seungcheol heard the uneasiness in his voice, frowning a little that Jihoon thought there was someone else he was possibly enamored with.

“It’s you of course,” he smiled gently at the other, wanting to reassure Jihoon that he was the number one in his book. Jihoon visibly relaxed, cheeks coloring in response to Seungcheol’s soft words.

“Oh,” Jihoon hid his smile behind a sweater paw, staring down at his half-eaten cotton candy ice cream. A warm fuzzy feeling filled Seungcheol’s chest, smiling helplessly at Jihoon’s bashful reaction. They fell into a comfortable silence, eating their half-melted ice cream in peace while stealing glances at each other every now and then. Jihoon was the one to break the silence.

“Thanks for taking me here. I didn’t even know this place existed,” he admitted, “and the ice cream here is really delicious. I really like it.”

“Yeah, and I really like you.”

Jihoon’s cheeks immediately turned scarlet, spoon of ice cream failing to reach his mouth, Seungcheol still in a daze before realizing what he just said.

He proceeded to shovel ice cream into his mouth as fast as he could, hoping it would get rid of the hot blush that ran up his neck and burned on his cheeks. Fuck you, subconscious! Fuck you!

The only thing he ended up with was a killer brain freeze, his face scrunching up in discomfort, “Brainfreeze, brainfreeze, fuck, fuck, fuck!” Jihoon burst out in laughter, Seungcheol getting a glance of Jihoon’s still-red cheeks and cute little canines in the midst of his own self-inflicted suffering. Jihoon’s laughing face was honestly something to be cherished, and if he could tattoo the visual under his eyelids so he could see it during his every waking moment, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

He willed the brainfreeze to go away faster so he could properly appreciate the way Jihoon’s dimples showed up so prominently when he laughed, and how his eyes crinkled up into the prettiest eye smile he’s ever had the honor of seeing. “How can you laugh at me when I’m dying here!” Seungcheol whined and rubbed at his cheeks, earning another chuckle from the man sitting across from him.

“You’re just too cute, Seungcheol.”

Oh my god! Wow! He wanted to cry!

“Not as cute as you.”

Wow! Less embarrassing this time! Go Seungcheol!

The two of them fell into a giggling fit, both of them moving onto finishing their ice cream before it became soupy. An hour passed as they shared stories about work and their relationships with their managers and so on. Conversation came easy to them, and it was unfortunate when it was time to go.

The photographer was simply infatuated. It felt like he could talk to Jihoon for hours on end, and at the same time, that they could share a comfortable silence for hours as well. Part of him was afraid that he might be too much, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to really get to know the previously unattainable model. He wanted to know a slew of things. Things like Jihoon’s favorite color, his favorite place to eat, what makes him laugh, what pisses him off, what he looks like first thing waking up. Seungcheol was eager to be friends with the younger, and possibly, hopefully, something more.

The thoughts ran through his mind and made his chest tight as they said their farewells to Seokmin and Hansol, the bell on the door jingling lightly as they left.

“How far do you live from here?” Seungcheol looked over to his left, seeing Jihoon pull up his camera app.

“Not too far, like 10 minutes or so? Also, can you take a picture of me in front of the shop?” Seungcheol nodded and took Jihoon’s phone, turning around and waiting for him to pose. The model settled with a double peace sign and a cute expression, tongue between his teeth.

“Got it!” Before Seungcheol gave the phone back, he turned to face the same direction as Jihoon, switching the phone to the front camera and holding it so both he and Jihoon were in the shot. He smiled big and took a few selfies, changing his expression for each photo with Jihoon. After that, he returned the phone to its owner with a pleased smile. “Send those to me, will you?” The model nodded and swiped through the pictures, humming with satisfaction.

“ _Way_ better than Seungkwan.” The two of them laughed.

“Then you better post some on Instagram!”

“I will, I will,” Jihoon grinned at his phone, shutting it off and slipping it into his back pocket.

“Don’t forget okay?”

“I won’t, don’t worry about it,” he waved his hand in Seungcheol’s direction, assuring the other that the photo would be posted before midnight.

“Can I walk you home? Since you probably don’t live too far away from me and stuff. Jihoon hummed in thought before agreeing to Seungcheol’s proposal. The two of them walked alongside each other through the bustling sidewalks, sharing a light hearted conversation with each other. They were laughing together when Jihoon’s condo came into view, reaching a comfortable silence by the time they got to the front of the building.

“I’ll see you around then, Jihoon!”

“Yeah, thank you for today, Cheol.”

“Anytime! We should do this more often,” Seungcheol rubbed at the back of his neck, indirectly asking Jihoon onto another date in the future.

“Definitely. And have a good afternoon, see you soon, Seungcheol.” Jihoon smiled sweetly at him, effectively sweeping him off his feet yet again. He watched as the head of peach disappeared behind the door, turning to walk back home.

The sky was still a brilliant shade of blue, not a cloud to be seen as the wind ran through his hair. A satisfied sigh left his lips as he returned down the sidewalks he had just come up moments ago. There was a good feeling in his chest. The possibility of creating something with the person he pined over for three years was in place, and a rare hope bubbled inside of his chest. Maybe this could happen after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!! i hope you enjoyed reading this update, for it was a lot of fun to write! i think im better at portraying seungcheol because im a huge jihoon stan and can channel my emotions properly through him :,^) but i will try to do better with jihoon the next time i write him! but yes ty for reading and please leave a comment and/kudos if you'd like!! tysm! 
> 
> Art Based Off This Fic:
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BRPCzS7AZUk/?taken-by=seme_senpai (ily sam wtf)
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BRCtu9rFq1g/?taken-by=xiaosuga (this is my own art acc!)


	6. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> inner turmoil and long walks on the beach?

Weeks passed by and Jihoon was surprised at how he found himself in Seungcheol’s company more and more often, squeezing in small dates wherever there was time. Especially considering their tight schedules, it was quite a feat to meet up this often. He got to learn things about Seungcheol that he had always wondered about, like why and how he got into fashion photography and photography in general, and things he never expected to learn about the other, like what his unfiltered laughter sounded like, and what a truly endearing mess Seungcheol was. Conversations with him were natural, and as natural conversations allowed, he talked about things he rarely brought up with other people (aside from Seungkwan.)

Currently, he shared a comfortable gaze between Seungcheol over burgers and milkshakes. Seungcheol had recommended yet another restaurant, this one reminiscent of a 90s diner, and he was more than happy to come along. Spending time with the other was something he found himself increasingly willing to do, being less than cautious as Seungkwan had warned weeks earlier. Maybe it was how the photographer seemed so trustworthy? How he was so easy to fall into without a worry? If a person’s eyes were really the window to their soul, Cheol’s had to be one of honesty and understanding. Those bright eyes spoke quietly of a loyalty and eagerness that he found himself falling more and more into. It was too easy.

Part of it scared him. How easy it was. Walls came down easy around Seungcheol. There was always a comfortable air around the two and it felt dangerous. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a warning alarm had already been set off. Something about Seungcheol, though, made him choose to ignore it.

Another part of him wished that their growing relationship didn’t scare him. That he could easily fall in love without a worry, and that he could treat Seungcheol as he did his first love. A first love that held the naivety of being young and inexperienced. Where one didn’t have to be afraid of heartbreak. It was a shame that he had to fear falling in love, a conscious yet subconscious thing that always bared its teeth when the time came.

So far, he had done quite a good job avoiding that fear, but it continued to creep in his shadow, waiting and watching until it could pounce. For now he would let himself go, let himself be swept away by Seungcheol’s bright smiles and endearing mannerisms. He sipped at his vanilla shake, absentmindedly staring at Seungcheol features.

“Is there something on my face?” He blinked a few times, registering that Seungcheol had asked him a question.

“Oh, no, not at all,” he smiled a little as he shook his head, straw settling into the milkshake.

“Thinking about something?” Jihoon hummed quietly before responding.

“Yeah.”

“Can I ask what about?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.” Seungcheol only nodded in understanding and nursed his own milkshake for a moment, the music playing through the speakers filling the brief silence before his ringtone rang through the diner. “Sorry, it’s Seungkwan.” He promptly took the call, bringing the phone up to his ear. “What’s up?”

_“Jihoon! This is so big! You won’t believe it!”_

“What? What happened?”

_“The higher ups want you to do a weeklong trip for a photoshoot!”_

“Oh my god, really?” His eyes darted over to Seungcheol who only gave him curious eyes in return.

_“Yes, and they want you to do it with Seungcheol since they really like his photos of you!”_ He almost stood up in the booth then and there.

“Oh my god,” he was near yelling at this point, “I’m with him right now, can I tell him?”

_“Yes, you can! And wait, what do you mean you’re with him right now?”_

_“_ Irrelevant! Talk to you tonight, Seungkwan! You can tell me the details then, bye!” Seungkwan’s voice was cut off soon after that, his own nerves buzzing with excitement. This _was_ huge. It would be a giant step in both his and Seungcheol’s careers. Most importantly, he would get to spend an entire week's time with Seungcheol. _Score._

“Wait what? What’s up, Jihoon?” He flashed Seungcheol a grin before a smug expression settled over his features.

“You won’t believe it, Seungcheol. This is going to be amazing.”

“What am I not believing! What is gonna be amazing!” A pout began to form on Seungcheol’s lips. He was practically jumping out of the seat with anticipation.

“We’re gonna have so much fun together.” That brought out an immediate whine from the raven-haired male.

“Jihoooon! Come on, please tell me!” Jihoon laughed before relenting and relaying what his manager told him. Seungcheol’s eyes quickly grew to the size of saucers, mouth falling agape at the news.

“You’re lying,” he whispered breathlessly.

“Why would I lie about something this big?”

“Fuck.”

 

* * *

 

Fuck is right.

Seungkwan filled him in on the details that night, laying out the possible concepts and where they’d be staying. A spacious beach house was being rented out for the photoshoot, and they would be taking photos inside, along the shore, and in the water, if that wasn’t obvious enough. He was sure Seungcheol also got the same information from Jeonghan, and the two talked over the phone about the trip when they could. The photographer was chock full of ideas already, rambling on and on about the kinds of photos he wanted to take. He could listen to Seungcheol’s enthusiasm forever. Neither could wait for that week to come, and when it did, it was incredibly exciting. Seungcheol’s staff was giddy and talkative before boarding the private jet and during the ride, bonding with the other staffs and getting familiar with the people they would be working with for the week to come.

The jet landed safely and everyone was quickly ushered into their respective cars, all of which were stuffed full with the luggage for fifteen. The drive was two hours long, and those who weren’t driving took advantage of this, catching up on sleep they lost the night before.

Soon enough, the two cars pulled up to the beach house. Everyone gradually slipped out of the cars, rubbing at their sleepy eyes to attack the mountain of luggage awaiting them. Trunks were popped open and everyone bustled along to get everything unpacked. Jihoon was the last to crawl out of the car, being _incredibly_ hard to wake up. One of the cameramen recorded Seungkwan’s Wake-Up-Jihoon tactics, a.k.a blasting Queen by Son Dam Bi in the older’s ear. _“Wake up, wake up, wa-wa-wa-wake up”_ could be heard by everyone that was in a two-mile radius.

After a rude awakening, Jihoon rubbed at his cheeks and yawned, walking sleepily towards the back of the car to finally help carry wardrobe luggage into the house. He picked up a suitcase and severely underestimated its weight, his arms screaming in protest when he attempted to haul it out of the trunk and onto the asphalt. “Need a little help with that?” Looking up, he watched as Seungcheol easily pulled the suitcase up and out of the trunk, grabbing another with his other hand while he was at it. Jihoon immediately woke up, eyes trailing up the strong forearms that he never really paid attention to before. And damn, did that man have fucking amazing arms. It’d be absolutely lovely if said arms could pick him up and throw him down onto a bed lat—okay slow down, Ji.

He watches Seungcheol take the suitcases into the beach house and return quickly after to take another and another. At this point, Jihoon felt guilty for basically having done jack shit, but spotted a suitcase just sitting around, ready for the taking. Immediately getting up, he takes long strides towards the suitcase, hand reaching towards it, and it’s almost in his possession until he runs straight into a wall of muscle. Correction. Until he runs straight into Seungcheol, who was also going for the same suitcase. They’re awfully close, and now even closer as the taller looks down with a face full of worry, “Are you okay? Sorry, I got mad tunnel vision for a second there. I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“No, I’m fine.” _Okay, Seungcheol’s eyelashes really are as long as they look. The longest lashes he’s ever seen. Focus on those so you don’t end up staring at his lips instead. Whoops, too late for that._ “Don’t worry about it..” Now that he thinks about it, he’s never been this close to Seungcheol, not even during a photoshoot. From this distance he can see the god damn pores on his nose and his lips look really soft. _Really_ really soft. The kissable soft.

He’s leaning in at this point, seeing Seungcheol do the same. There’s a quiet look in his eyes as he leans in, staring deep into Jihoon’s willing ones  It’s a serene moment, the two of them growing closer and closer by the second, feeling the other’s soft breath against their cheeks.

**_Ahem!_ **

Jolting apart, Jihoon’s face flushes a bright red under Seungkwan’s We’re-Going-To-Have-A-Talk-Later Face, hands busying themselves with smoothing out his clothes as he looked everywhere but Seungcheol. The photographer whistled a little, hiding his own blush as well as he could, and did the same as Jihoon.

Seungkwan: The Manager

Seungkwan: The Cockblocker

 

* * *

 

Makeup and wardrobe went by with a breeze, Seungcheol’s team doing an impressive job as expected. There was no fancy wardrobe this time around; Jihoon was dressed casually in one of those ‘Fresh Beach Looks’ with minimal makeup. It was refreshing to not spend three hours on hair, makeup, and wardrobe for once.

Everyone met outside on the shore soon after for the first of many shoots, some staff members holding light reflectors towards Jihoon while he strolled along the waves as Seungcheol instructed. The photographer seemed more of a mess than usual, making a handful of mistakes with his camera settings and stumbling over his words. Nervousness seemed to come off of the man in waves, and Jihoon wished they could pause for a second to see if Seungcheol was alright. He knew he wasn’t the only one that noticed something was off by the look on Jeonghan’s face as the shoot progressed. He would have to ask about it later.

On other terms, the first shoot went by easily. Everyone hurried into the cars after locking up the beach house and drove out to enjoy a complimentary seafood dinner. Jihoon shifted in the backseat of the car to pull his phone out of his pocket, shooting Seungcheol a quick message:

 

**[7:36PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _hey are you alright?_

**[7:37PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Yeah, sorry for being really out of it :( There was just a lot on my mind today_

**[7:39PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _ah i see_

**[7:40PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Mhmm_

 

Jihoon scratched at his cheek in thought before sending the next message.

 

**[7:43PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _if you wanna talk about it, ill be here to listen_

**[7:44PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Thanks, Jihoon. I might take you up on that offer later_

**[7:46PM 05/08/17] jihoon :**   _np_

 

The word “later” makes Jihoon anxious, but he soon forgets everything once they pull up to the seafood restaurant. His stomach growls at the aroma of roasted lobster and his legs quickly carried him out of the car.

Everyone stuffed themselves full, thanks for the bill being paid by the ever-so-generous company, and quickly retreated back to the hotels for the night.

Music played softly through the speakers as Jihoon reclined in the back seat, eyeing the tired-eyed driver and his napping manager. His head lolled to the side as his gaze turned towards the window and watched the nighttime scenery of the shoreline fly by. Slowly, his eyes slipped closed and he delved into a quiet darkness, looking forward to getting some rest at the hotel.

Jihoon is roused from his slumber by Seungkwan (with unexpected ease for once) and is helped onto his feet to go inside to check in. Seungkwan does all the talking, which he is incredibly grateful for, and hurries Jihoon to the door of his single room on the fourth floor. “Here’s the keycard, make sure not to lose it. It’s the only one you’re gonna get.”

“Alright.”

“Make sure to get some rest okay? If you need anything just shoot me a text or a call. “I’m on the third floor in room 317.” Jihoon gave Seungkwan a thumbs up and a small smile.

“Goodnight, Seungkwan.”

“Goodnight, Jihoon.” Seungkwan turns away and heads toward the elevator and Jihoon busies himself with getting the door open with the provided keycard. His tired hands refuse to cooperate the first few tries, but the door opens with a click. The light switch is flipped on, room illuminating with a warm glow. A sigh released itself from Jihoon’s chest as he closed the door behind him and walked through the hallway to the bed and slid his hand over the sheets. Soft.

His legs took him to the large sliding doors, curious of his view from the room. His hands pulled the thick curtains to the side, and he was overwhelmed with the sight he was met with. The moon was round and bright over the horizon, the water a deep deep blue, waves rising and falling against the shoreline in undulating patterns. The sand was a pristine tan under the moonlight, and he could see the faint light of faraway stars. It was something he never got to see back in the city, the lights and billboards overwhelming all other things. The view he was looking at was a beautiful one.

Jihoon found himself entranced by the sight, and continued to look out at the ocean and appreciate its natural beauty. A figure catches his attention from the corner of his eye. He squinted his eyes and attempted to see if it was someone he knew, watching the person aim their camera out at the rolling waves and wiggle their toes in the sand after taking a few photos. The ocean breeze ran through the black head of hair, the figure dancing along the tide with camera in hand.

Upon further inspection, the figure’s identity was unmistakable: Seungcheol. Jihoon quickly retrieved his phone after realizing and shot the other a text.

 

**[11:42PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _what are you doing out there_

**[11:45PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Oh hey! What am I doing out where?_

**[11:45PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _out on the beach, i was looking at the view_ _and then i spotted you_

**[11:46PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Oh please I AM the view ;_

 

He scoffed. This guy! ….Okay, well.

 

**[11:46PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _well youre not wrong_

**[11:46PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _ <3 !!!!! _

**[11:47PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _anyway, are you going to answer my_ _question or not_

**[11:47PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Hahaha of course. I’m just_ _taking photos of the beautiful scenery y’know! We rarely get to see stuff like this in the city_

**[11:48PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _cant believe youre just out there taking_ _selfies seungcheol, wow shameless much?_

**[11:48PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Awww is Jihoonie flirting with me?_

**[11:49PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _shut up_

**[11:49PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Hehehe <3 Also the view would be even _ _better with you out here with me :(_

**[11:49PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _seungkwan would actually have my_ _ass on a silver platter and sell it online for a fortune_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Aw cmon Jihoon! It would be_ _so much fun :(( pleaaaase?_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _no thanks seungcheol, i value my life_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Are you saying I don’t value my life?!_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _you know thats not what i meant_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Okay but when else are you going to_ _experience such beautiful beach scenery at midnight without any supervision?_

 

Now that made him think long and hard. When would the opportunity arise again? The answer? Never. Literally never. Seungcheol had a point for once.

 

**[11:52PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _…_

**[11:52PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Is that a yes? :0_

**[11:52PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _yeah_

 

Too easy.

 

**[11:52PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _YAAAAAAY!!! Come on out as_ _fast as those little legs can carry you!_

**[11:52PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _“little” legs?_

**[11:53PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Pretend I didn’t say anything_

**[11:53PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _cheol we’re texting rn_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _Pretend I didn’t say anything !!_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] jihoon :** _looks like someone doesn’t actually value his life_

**[11:50PM 05/08/17] Seungcheol!! :** _D^: >_

Jihoon hides his smile from no one in particular, pressing his mouth against the soft material of his sleeve. There’s a warm feeling in his chest, and it propels him out of the hotel room (key card in his pocket) and out of the hotel itself. He jogs down the boardwalk, around the hotel, and down to the beach. Eyes searching for Seungcheol, they light up when he finally spots him. He’s taking more photos in one of those oddly attractive photographer stances. Seungcheol’s physique in general was one to admire. He was effortlessly beautiful and it pissed him off to no end.

Quietly, he approached Seungcheol with soft steps, not wanting to disturb the other from his photo-taking.

 

* * *

 

Seungcheol heard Jihoon’s footsteps crunch in the sand and stop a few feet away to his right. His heart did a little flip at the sound, capturing a few more shots of the moon reflecting off the ocean’s surface. He lowered his camera from his eyes and turned to face the model, having his breath taken away by Jihoon’s sheer casual beauty. The shorter was dressed in just a t-shirt and ripped jeans, a large cardigan draped over his body, sleeves going down to his fingertips. He was the first to speak up. “Hey.” Jihoon waved at him with a sweater paw and replied just as simply.

“Hi.” Seungcheol motioned to his camera, lifting it up a little and nodding his head towards JIhoon.

“May I?” The model nodded and fixed his hair and clothes on reflex, making Seungcheol smile a little before bringing his camera back up to his eye. “Just like that. Now just relax your expression a little, perfect.” He said the words with a wide grin, taking a few shots to warm up.

“Sorry that I’m so tense,” Jihoon replied, voice dripping with sarcasm as they replayed their first shoot with each other. The model laughed, baring his tiny canines. The shutter went off immediately, Seungcheol wanting to capture as much of the other’s laugh as possible.

“Play around with the poses, let’s make these candid-y!” Jihoon nodded and stretched his arms over his head with a grunt, yawning a little while Seungcheol took another picture or twenty for good measure. The two of them went along like this, strolling along the shore and enjoying each other’s company. Seungcheol even coaxed Jihoon’s shoes off, allowing them to stand together in the wet sand and let the waves wash up against their toes.

Jihoon’s poses ranged from stereotypical model poses to the most exaggerated staged ones to bright and “candid-y” ones that Seungcheol so actively sought after. They laughed hysterically under the moon’s loving gaze, letting loose. Seungcheol took pictures to his heart’s content, nearly bursting with adoration and excitement that he was spending this moment with Jihoon.

Seungcheol felt the most lucky when Jihoon got lost in his own thoughts, when the boy was simply entranced by the moon’s bright glow. That’s when his camera came up to his face without a thought, his body naturally reacting to how Jihoon looked in that moment. He wanted to remember every memory he shared with the other, a deep desire rushing through his veins as the shutter went off to capture the model’s soft face under the moonlight.

Eventually, they both get tired of running around and chose to retire on the dry sand far from the waves to review the photos. “God, sand really does get everywhere,” Jihoon huffed, doing his best to get comfortable sitting on the sand without a towel.

“The only downside about the beach to be honest,” Seungcheol smiled before pressing the media button on his camera, shifting so both he and Jihoon could to see what was on the tiny screen. “Here’s the first ones where you’re laughing! You have such a pretty eye smile, look at youu,” he cooed.

Jihoon only smiled at the comment, “Thank you.” The photographer went through the rest of the photos, making comments here and there. They both giggled at the sillier photos: there was one where Jihoon had jumped up high, limbs spread wide with his belly peeking out under the shirt, one where Jihoon contorted his body into the weirdest abstract art piece Seungcheol had ever seen just to make fun of the phrase “Make a shape with your body”, and one where he squatted down and made a yelling face, hands up in the air to pretend  he was holding the moon like a cheesy tourist.

They laugh at that one especially, looking up to meet the other’s gaze at the same time. Seungcheol’s face goes slack at the eye contact, cheeks heating up when he realized the nonexistent distance between the two. His body finds itself being attracted to Jihoon’s like a magnet, leaning in closer with caution. The look in Jihoon’s face was soft, eyes reflecting the moonlight in the most beautiful way. Seungcheol gulped and carefully brought his right hand up to cup Jihoon’s cheek as a test, the sound of waves washing up on the sand surrounding them. Jihoon didn’t flinch away, and Seungcheol took this as a _Keep on going_. He did just that, tilting his head slightly and closing the distance between the two, a distance he wanted to eliminate for weeks now. The kiss was soft and careful, lips pressed gently against each other. Jihoon’s eyes had slipped closed, Seungcheol following suit as he pressed a little deeper and shifted closer. An unexplainable warmth coursed through his body at the contact, cheeks warming up at the feeling. It was tender. This moment. He slowly detached his mouth from Jihoon’s, feeling dazed and wishing he hadn’t pulled away so soon. The look in Jihoon’s eyes mimicked the one in his own.

Nervousness, love, comfort, knowing, content. All of these emotions were exchanged as they stared into each other’s eyes. Seungcheol’s heart did a series of gymnastics in his chest, face heating up rapidly once he realized the extent of his actions. _Fuck, he just kissed Jihoon._

The model was in no better shape, cheeks hot with embarrassment as he attempted to cover them with his sweater paws, coughing a little to fill the silence. “W-We should probably head back now.” Seungcheol nodded at Jihoon’s words.

“Yeah, we sh-should.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoyoyo! sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up!! school has been a pain in the ass :,^0. i hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was really difficult for me to write lOL. also the eventual smut will be coming in like 2 chapters so thats something for you to look forward too ehe. anyways, kudos/comments are highly appreciated!! ty for reading!! ^^


	7. Not a Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I SUCK

Hello hello it's me with some bad news: I won't be continuing this fic :,^0 I've lost inspiration and I'm not really sure where exactly to take it and such. I will probably write that Eventual Smut as a separate fic just in case you guys really wanted that or somethin wink wonk. Thank you for everyone who has read this and left comments and kudos though! I really appreciated it, especially since this is my first fic and all!

But yes, aaa I'm sorry for not being able to pull through until the end ;; this was definitely a learning experience of sorts, but thank you for reading! I have a bunch of drafts I'm working on for other fic ideas I have! so please look forward to that! 

Thank you, I love you all!! TT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i ended up making the eventual smut a separate fic! you can find it by clicking on the If Fate Allows series or by using this link!   
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/10660191


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